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AccuWeather shares timeline on impact of storm

The snowstorm currently underway in Connecticut has been causing trouble across the states, according to AccuWeather.

AccuWeather.com report a snowstorm is spreading in the Northeast, creating travel nightmares and widespread power outages.

“An area from northwest of Washington, D.C., to east-central Pennsylvania, up to near New York City and Boston will have heavy snow, accumulating at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour through the start of Thursday,” AccuWeather.com Senior Vice President and Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams said.

“Then, as warmer air comes in from the southeast it will turn to rain later in the day for Boston, Philadelphia and New York City areas. Washington, D.C., will see more of a mix. This can create slushy conditions that will freeze when the temperatures drop overnight.”

More than 6,800 flights have already been canceled so far on Thursday with the majority of cancellations out of Atlanta International, Philadelphia International and Ronald Reagan National.

This is the same storm that brought snarling snow and ice to the South and cut power to more than half a million between the Carolinas and Georgia.

Flight cancellations on Wednesday topped 4,100, with nearly 2,600 of those out of the Atlanta hub, which is the world’s busiest airport. Charlotte International has also had more than 1,000 cancellations. Residual delays at airports in better weather will also climb as needed aircraft will be unable to arrive at their destinations.

The governors of Alabama and Georgia declared states of emergency on Monday night in preparation of the storm. Governors in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland declared states of emergency on Tuesday.

At least 12 people have been killed across the South since the snow and ice event began early this week, the Associated Press reported.

All reports listed in EST

2:40 p.m. EST Thursday: Flight cancellations in the U.S. have surpassed 7,000 with the majority of cancellations at Charlotte Douglas International, Atlanta International, Philadelphia International and LaGuardia airport.

11:00 a.m. ESt Thursday: Flight cancellations in the U.S. have now passed 6,000, according to FlightStats.

10:20 a.m. EST Thursday: Heavy snow is piling up across Pennsylvania. Snow totals, so far, include 10.0 inches in Gettysburg, 8.0 inches just northwest of Harrisburg, 9.5 inches in Upper Strasburg and 11.0 inches in Millersville.

9:40 a.m. EST Thursday: A train derailed in Vandergrift, near Pittsburgh, Pa., at 8:00 a.m. EST, according to CBS Pittsburgh. At the time of the incident, temperatures were in the lower 20s in the area.

“The only potential weather-related problem may have been related to tracks separating or contracting due to the persistent cold,” AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. Since Jan. 1, 2014, the temperature has been 6.6 degrees below normal in Pittsburgh.

9:00 a.m. EST Thursday: Reduced speeds and trailer bans are in effect for much of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

8:20 a.m. EST Thursday: The Associated Press reports that the death toll in the storm has climbed to 12.

6:10 a.m. EST Thursday: School closings spread across the mid-Atlantic and New England either in preparation for the snow or while snow already flies:

6:00 a.m. EST Thursday: AccuWeather.com Senior Vice President and Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams said areas from Washington, D.C., to Boston and New York City can expect the snow to fall at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour.

7:52 p.m. EST Wednesday: More than 2,800 flights canceled for Thursday with the top cancellations coming out of Atlanta International, Philadelphia International and Ronald Reagan National, according to FlightStats.

6:25 p.m. EST Wednesday: South of Roanoke, Va., in Franklin County, a trained spotter reports 4.0 inches of snow.

5:30 p.m. EST Wednesday: Traffic is at a standstill near Raleigh, N.C., along I-540 and Honeycutt Road, as commuters try to make it home in the snow:

4:45 p.m. EST Wednesday: Nationwide cancelations reach nearly 4,000, according to FlightStats. More than 2,000 flights for Thursday have already been cancelled.

4:20 p.m. EST Wednesday: Power outages continue to climb in the South with 95,791 for SC&G, 114,474 for Duke Energy and 129,325 for Georgia Power.

2:50 p.m. EST Wednesday: An NWS employee reports more than half an inch of freezing rain in New Hanover County, N.C. This photo was snapped in Wilmington:

2:30 p.m. EST Wednesday:The latest power outages list 96,750 for SC&G, 133,000 for Georgia Power and 98,600 for Duke Energy.

2:00 p.m. EST Wednesday: Roads are snow-covered and extremely treacherous around Charlotte, N.C. Travel is slowed in the slippery conditions along I-85 as shown in the Graham Street North Carolina Department of Transportation webcam below:

1:45 p.m. EST Wednesday: Rachel Joyce (Twitter user @r_joyce8) snapped this shot of trees downed due to the weight of snow and sleet in Aiken, S.C.:

1:10 p.m. EST Wednesday: The heaviest icing from the storm so far is stretching from Atlanta to Columbia and Florence, S.C., while heavy sleet and snow fall just to the north.

Here’s a sampling of ice accumulations so far, according to NWS spotters: 0.50-0.75 of an inch of ice near Millen, Ga.; 0.50 of an inch of ice near Ladson, S.C.

Irmo, S.C., located in Richland County, has received 4.00 inches of sleet from the storm, according to an NWS employee.

12:55 p.m. EST Wednesday: Power outages continue to rise. Between Georgia Power and SCE&G, outage totals are near 200,000.

11:35 a.m. EST Wednesday: Traffic is slowed in the Charlotte area as snow begins falling:

11:20 a.m. EST Wednesday: Amtrak is suspending services from New York City through the Carolinas on south.

11:00 a.m. EST Wednesday: The number of power outages continues to climb as the worst of the icing hits today. Georgia Power is reporting more than 106,300 outages and SCE&G is reporting more than 38,800 outages.

10:35 a.m. EST Wednesday: NWS office in Lexington County, S.C., reports an inch of sleet. This Instagram video taken at the Windward Point Yacht Club captures snow and sleet pouring down in neighboring Richland County.

6:10 a.m. EST Wednesday: Mississippi Department of Transportation listing statewide road advisories for the icy conditions building up on roadways and bridges:

5:50 a.m. EST Wednesday: Thousands are without electricity to start the day in Georgia, according to Georgia Power. That number is likely to rise as more customers wake this morning and report any outages they may be experiencing.

5:20 a.m. EST Wednesday: FlightStats reports more than 2,000 cancelled flights out of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to start the day.

4:10 a.m. EST Wednesday: Law enforcement reports that rain was beginning to freeze on highways around Saint Stephen, S.C., and has led to minor traffic accidents in the area.

2:02 a.m. EST Wednesday: Emergency Managers in Georgia are reporting freezing rain all across Cherokee County, just north of Atlanta. Roads are starting to become glazed over.

12:23 a.m. EST Wednesday: Amtrak has announced that they will suspend some services from New York and south of Washington, D.C., on Wednesday due to winter weather. Some services will also be suspended in Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas.

All reports listed below are from Tuesday.

11:48 p.m. EST Tuesday: More than 6,600 Entergy customers are without power in Louisiana, the utility reports.

10:38 p.m. EST Tuesday: Law enforcement reports 1 inch of snow and sleet accumulation in Eudora, Ark., most of which consisting of sleet.

9:40 p.m. EST Tuesday: At least five people, including four in northern Texas, died in weather-related traffic crashes, The Associated Press reported. One of those deaths occurred at a previous crash scene when Dallas Fire-Rescue firefighter William “Scott” Tanksley was struck by a vehicle Monday night and fell 50 feet off a bridge at I-20 and Spur 408 in southwest Dallas, KDFW-TV, Fox 4 in Dallas, reported.

9:05 p.m. EST Tuesday: More than 1,600 flights were canceled, and another 3,700 were delayed due to the winter storm, according to FlightStats.

8:50 p.m. EST Tuesday: 937 Southwestern Electric Power Co. customers, 575 Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana customers and 493 Cleco Power customers were without power in Louisiana, the utilities reported.

8:30 p.m. EST Tuesday: 9,200 Duke Energy Progress customers in North and South Carolina were without power, the utility said.

“Now is the time for Virginia to get ready for this storm,” McAuliffe said in a news release. “This state of emergency declaration will empower the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Department of Transportation, the Virginia National Guard and our electric and cable utilities to prepare for a storm that is predicted to create power outages and significant travel challenges across the Commonwealth over the next few days.”

12:15 p.m. EST Tuesday: “One batch of snow and ice was affecting areas from northeastern Georgia to upstate South Carolina and part of North Carolina Tuesday midday,” AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. “However, the main storm will not hit many of these areas and others until Wednesday.”

11:25 a.m. EST Tuesday: The Alabama Department of Transportation lists several road advisories as a result of icy conditions, including all U.S. and State Routes in Cullman County, I-759 in Etowah County and I-59 in DeKalb County.

10:55 a.m. EST Tuesday: North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory held a press conference to discuss maintenance efforts as storm progresses, saying they will treat and retreat roads as necessary but will keep the safety of workers in mind. His office is urging people to stay off roads:

10:30 a.m. EST Tuesday: Atlanta Public Schools announce closures for Tuesday and Wednesday. The Atlanta Zoo has also closed.

10:05 a.m. EST Tuesday: Multiple accidents reported in the greater Atlanta area by Georgia 511. Accidents causing all lanes to be blocked at mile marker 27 on I-85 northbound, partial road block on I-20 west by Post Road and all lanes to be blocked on I-75 south by state route 19, among others.